World Cup will be big boost for women's cricket in Derbyshire, say star players

Rachel Hopkins and Derbyshire Women teammate Rebekah Grimley delivered the host-city news to local dignitaries in the 3aaa Pavilion at the county club’s headquarters. And they were sure that the World Cup will be another yardstick in the significant evolution that the women’s game has made in recent years.

“The women’s game is forever moving forward,” Hopkins said. “It’s getting up there with the men, changing all the time and getting stronger. It’s becoming more powerful and, hopefully, the World Cup is going to put us on the big stage.

“You want that equality and you want to be noticed alongside the men. I think that is changing and getting better year by year.”

Hopkins is the first female captain in more than 250 years of men’s cricket in Derbyshire after taking over the second team at Sawley and Long Eaton Park Cricket Club. She added: “I’ve been playing men’s cricket for a lot of my life now, so there is not much that’s new to me with banter on the field. I wasn’t expecting to be named captain, but I’m looking forward to it.”